Saturday, July 3, 2010

Re: [californiadisasters] Grapevine accident



A few reports have said the CHP driver got in front of the out of control truck to try and slow it.    If that really happened, isn't there like no chance a car could help slow a speeding semi with all it's momentum?     I am surprised they made a move like that.    Maybe on a bad CHiPs episode, but....
 
Jason
 
In a message dated 7/3/2010 11:01:51 P.M. Pacific Daylight Time, HappyMoosePhoto@gmail.com writes:
 

The Honda over tuned eh?  Sorry, I was once an editor.  I'm glad it all turned out well, but I'd question that the turn the trucker used was unsafe as it did stop the rig without further incident.  It could have been MUCH worse.  So much for an unbiased statement of facts by the writer (another rant for another day).  On the other hand, it's part of a commercial drivers responsibility (by law) to check the brakes at the start of EACH day/run and since that is such a nasty hill they should have been checked again before starting down.  The brakes are designed to fail in a binding manner (the air pressure counters spring tension, lose the air and the brakes set) so he likely burned up the shoes (or they were grossly out of adjustment).  Short version, he'll be cited, the trucking company will pay damages, operator error.  It could have been much worse.

And now on a lighter note…

Bert was called in for a periodic review for his commercial trucking license.  One of the series of questions went as follows:

Reviewer:  Bert, you're heading down a hill and your brakes fail.  What do you do now?

Bert:  I'd keep stabbing the brakes and try to downshift.

Reviewer:  You missed a shift and now are freewheeling and your brakes are doing nothing.  What will you do?

Bert:  I'd try to run against the guardrail to slow the truck down.

Reviewer:  That's good, but there is no guardrail.  Now you're really going fast.  What's next?

Bert:  I'd aim for a hillside or get into the runaway lane

Reviewer:  That's great, but a car cut you off and the next runaway lane is ten miles down the hill.  You're still picking up speed.  What will you do?

Bert:  I'd reach in the back and wake my partner Ernie.

Reviewer:  Now why would you do that?

Bert:  Cuz me and Ernie, we been drivin for more than twenty years together.  And he ain't NEVER seen a wreck like this ones gonna be.

Bah DUM dum dum

Be safe folks, the DFI index is VERY high this weekend.

Rick

www.HappyMoosePhoto.com

Wildlife and scenic images


From: Fizzboy7@aol.com
 

Quite a mess over the Grapevine today.    Last time a truck lost it's brakes was last August.    Today, a customer of mine got stuck for hours while lanes were closed.     The CHP officer was brave for putting his car in front of the speeding truck.

Jason



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